TFP vs Pet Solutions

S

stephenrsaiz

New member
I wanted to buy some salt... 2 x 200 gallon boxes of Instant Ocean. TFP's price 42.89 + tax. PetSolutions.com price $39.99. Ok easy enough choice since TFP is not accepting 30% off coupons for salt anymore (bad move, it got me in there store and now I'm shopping online).

My order from PetSolutions was 2 x 200g IO boxes, 1 x 50g IO bag (needed it for free shipping), and a bag of Sea Veggies (also needed it for free shipping). PetSolutions coupon code SAVE5 saved me $5.

Total, SHIPPED from Petsolutions.com.... $97.96

Would have been total from TFP.... $113.59 (includes tax, but not time to go there)

So, save $15.63 by mailordering...yes.

Sorry TFP, but your coupon capers have given people a bad taste in their mouths.
 
This is exactly my point from my rant a few threads ago. Dr. F & S is offering $9.00 shipping no matter what you order or how much and NO TAX and no 100 mile round trip to get to TFP. Normally the 30% off would get me to the store but now the catalog and fliers go to the burn barrel. I just ordered two buckets of salt and some other supplies and it was less overall than if I would have gone to TFP. If I am in Lancaster for something else, maybe I'll stop in but TFP is no longer a destination.
 
I did some direct price comparisons on different salt mixes only.
The IO 200 gallon box was on sale for 39.99 at Pet Solutions, regular price is 44.99 compared to 42.89 at TFP.
If you had gone to TFP during the anniversary sale 2 weeks ago, you would have gotten 4 boxes of 200gal, IO salt for $128.67 for a total of 32.17 per box.
Various other brands did show Pet Solutions cheaper except for Tropic Marin Pro. Which was nearly $13/200gal bucket cheaper at TFP.
Bottom line...do your homework and shop where you feel YOU feel YOU get the best deal. I always will give my business to local stores before I go to the Internet if the price is close. I just wished TFP carried higher end products, I.E. Tunze, higher end skimmers, better controllers, etc.
 
BigKodiak said:
Bottom line...do your homework and shop where you feel YOU feel YOU get the best deal.
Click to expand...

Bottom line is, when I need/want something, I'll buy from whomever has the lowest price.

In that regard, TFP loses. They've continued to lose more and more of my business over the years due to increased prices, poor stock of advertised products and a declining customer service. I think most people you talk to who have shopped there for more than a decade can attest to the decline of the store and the service.

You do what you want, I'm simply trying to help others find a deal without being strapped to TFP and their ever-increasing prices.
 
BigKodiak said:
I always will give my business to local stores before I go to the Internet if the price is close.
Click to expand...

StephenR
As you will note from my post, I agree if there is a large difference between the local store, be it TFP or any other, and an online store, I too will go to the online store. I purchased a 40 breeder tank from another store other than TFP because they were $8.00 cheaper but it was still a local store. I have also bought products used and online because I wanted to save money. I have proven my point by selecting 3 brands of salt sold at TFP and Pet Solutions and at REGULAR price, TFP beat Pet Solutions REGULAR price on 2 of 3 identical items. I ALWAYS try to keep my money local and support local business.
If you buy all of your comparably priced items from outside sources, your local stores will shut down. Now lets say you get home from work and find your main pump has gone down or a hose has sprung a leak or something in which you need a part ASAP. How quickly do you think you will get that part from the Internet? How much will you pay to have it shipped overnight? How quickly will they even get it to the shipper? 2 days down, maybe 3? How about I broke my skimmer and the manufacturer told me it would be 8 weeks and it's been 15 weeks on Friday? Still no skimmer, thank God TFP was there!
I agree that TFP has changed quite a bit over the years, I was doing business with them when they really were TFP and not TPP. I had even gone as far as telling my wife I wondered as to how they were holding up because the quaity of the store and the quality of the products they carry had gone down.
Last but not least...If you purchase something over the internet, or via catalog, and have it shipped into your state, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SUBMIT THE SALES TAX to the state. It is called a sales and USE tax. Since we all did our taxes recently, don't you remember that question on the form? I know no one does it but legally you are supposed to do it.
 
BigKodiak said:
Last but not least...If you purchase something over the internet, or via catalog, and have it shipped into your state, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SUBMIT THE SALES TAX to the state. It is called a sales and USE tax. Since we all did our taxes recently, don't you remember that question on the form? I know no one does it but legally you are supposed to do it.
Click to expand...

I will stop lying to them when they stop lying to me.
 
Another cost consideration is time. Like 2Turtles stated "It is a 100 mile round trip". That's a good 2 hours of his precious time, besides the fuel expense, and the actual cost.
 
stephenrsaiz said:
Bottom line is, when I need/want something, I'll buy from whomever has the lowest price.

In that regard, TFP loses. They've continued to lose more and more of my business over the years due to increased prices, poor stock of advertised products and a declining customer service. I think most people you talk to who have shopped there for more than a decade can attest to the decline of the store and the service.

You do what you want, I'm simply trying to help others find a deal without being strapped to TFP and their ever-increasing prices.
Click to expand...

That's why they call it shopping

No is strapped to buy at a certain store or on line site. The choice is yours alone. You picked one product that was on sale and now you are making a sale comparison on it ....Thats it!

You could probably find other items elsewhere that beats TFP prices also. The bottom line is for Lighting systems, pumps and other expensive reef related items I'm glad they have the 30% coupon availible. I've been going there forever, and yes , their prices have gone up and the service has gone down along with every other store I go into
 
I know a lot of people hate PetCo for thier treatment of fish, but I spoke to the manager of the one on 22 in colonial park and she said she would match TFP's price on salt. They never have reef crystals, but they usually have IO buckets on hand. They have signs up about low price gaurantee and she said they wouldnt match any other internet price but TFP because it is within driving distance. Just an FYI so you dont need to run to TFP just to get thier price, and so you dont have to pay shipping
 
The bottom line in all this as I see it is salt is something we all use and have a regular need for. The 30% off got us to the store on a regular basis and while we were there, we more than likely placed other items in the cart. Now the 30% is gone. That's fine. For some of us it has made TFP no longer our "go to" source and has opened up other choices that we have found to be less expensive. The under lining thing that puts TFP at a disadvantage to the locals is tax. Unless you are keeping all the receipts of your web purchases and somehow feel obligated to pay more in state taxes, you are part of the huge underground economy. Many web sites offer free or very little shipping cost, so even if an item was listed at the same price between stores, TFP is already 6% higher. (plus travel costs and time)
For some of us no coupon equals no foot traffic, bad thing in retail. Unless their business model is based on e-commerce, guessing not since they spend so much in store infrastructure and a "staff of Marine biologists". Only time will tell if this was a good or bad long term decision for TFP.

Hi Dave - TFP Marine biologist! Peace - love from the Susquehanna Reef club!
 
Exclusions on TFP coupons (other than the date of use in the retail store on in-stock non-sale items & not on prior purchases, like all coupons):
Excludes --
aquariums
aquarium kits
stands
canopies
reptile habitats
salt
dog & cat food
feeder fish & rodents
crickets & frozen feeders
Frontline & Advantage products
dog licences
gift cards

I have used coupons for lighting before.
 
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